Aion Cargo Solutions (ACS) has successfully completed its freighter operation, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth and operational capability.
The inaugural charter flight, operated by a Boeing 777 Freighter (77F), departed Auckland (AKL) for Shanghai (PVG) on 12 June 2026.
The operation represents ACS’s first dedicated freighter charter service and demonstrates the company’s ability to manage large-scale air cargo projects in an increasingly constrained market environment.
As ACS’s first operation of this nature, the project required extensive planning and coordination. Cargo allocation and PMC build-up plans were revised multiple times throughout the preparation process to meet aircraft balance and operational requirements. Unlike passenger aircraft operations, the freighter required a combination of high-profile and low-profile PMCs to optimize weight distribution and maximize payload utilization. Additional challenges arose from equipment shortages supplied by the cargo terminal operator (CTO), further increasing operational complexity.
Despite these challenges, ACS successfully delivered the operation through close collaboration with airline partners, ground handling providers, and all stakeholders involved.
The flight carried a total of seven shipments across 35 PMCs, with a gross weight of 68,264 kilograms and a total volume of 330.15 cubic metres. The operation achieved a chargeable weight of 76,223 kilograms against a planned payload capacity of 81,000 kilograms, resulting in near-full utilization of the aircraft’s available capacity.
The cargo included critical shipments for the current project as well as long-standing consignments that had been awaiting uplift due to ongoing market capacity constraints. The successful charter significantly alleviated cargo backlogs and contributed to accelerating the completion timeline of key customer projects.
“This operation represents an important achievement for ACS and reflects the dedication, professionalism, and teamwork of everyone involved,” said ACS management.
“The experience gained from this first freighter operation provides a strong foundation for future charter programs and reinforces our commitment to delivering innovative logistics solutions for our customers.”
Building on the success of the inaugural flight, ACS is scheduled to operate a second chartered freighter service on 19 June 2026 and expects to further enhance operational efficiency through the lessons learned from the first operation.
As demand for reliable air freight solutions continues to grow, ACS remains committed to expanding its capabilities and delivering tailored logistics services to customers across New Zealand, Asia, and beyond.
